Anti Patio
The terraced plot is located on the eastern slope of a hill, with a panoramic view over the city. The house is made of three “containers” placed on two natural terraces. The layout of the house enables its 180-degree exposure to the surrounding space.
The hilly landscape of Kharkiv has a great influence on its urban structure. As a result, some the most challenging slopes have retained their rural character, although they are located in the immediate vicinity of the city center. “Anti Patio” house was built in this kind of neighborhood. The terraced plot lies on the eastern slope of the hill, enjoying a 15-km panoramic view of the city.
The steep relief determined a laconic arrangement of three “containers” (60 m2 each). The guest “container” is located on the lower terrace, while the upper terrace is occupied by two other “containers”. The wooden bedroom “container” leans on the slope and on the metal common area “container”. The wooden deck with an elongated rectangular swimming pool unites the cubic volumes into one single system.
Though the house has two floors, it actually consists of one single room. Maximum openness of inner premises enables natural cross-ventilation. Besides, it is very convenient in case of having a lot of guests around at a time, and is especially welcome in hot summer. The two floors are closely interconnected. The ground floor serves as a day-time zone which has a direct access to the garden. The kitchen, the living room and the terrace with the swimming form the core where most daily activities take place. Although the ground floor is divided into zones, it still remains one common integrated space, with only one barrier – a partition wall, which holds a fitted home theatre on the side of the living room, and a cabinet with a sink and a working surface on the side of the kitchen. The laconic character of the exterior is preserved in the interior of the house. The décor is reduced to minimum and is mainly represented by its construction materials.
The total glazing of the day-time zones enhances this visual experience connecting the ground floor to the terrace and the garden. The boundary between the inner premises of the house, the beginning and the continuation of the landscape are vague and undetermined.
Another interesting feature of the house is the window openings. Their size, proportions and location help to create a favorable microclimate. Besides, due to their particular orientation, they serve as a decorative element of the minimalistic interior and ensure privacy. Interestingly, though the house was designed with strong pragmatic considerations in mind, time has proved that it has a lot of romantic features.
